Tyson Ross: Mirage or future ace?

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Tyson Ross throws to the plate against the Colorado Rockies during the first inning of a baseball game on Saturday, April 6, 2013, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
— AP

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Tyson Ross throws to the plate against the Colorado Rockies during the first inning of a baseball game on Saturday, April 6, 2013, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
/ AP

Is he the tall right-hander with the wipeout slider who recently compiled the best five-start stretch of his young career, and one of the best by any pitcher this season?

Or is he the tall right-hander who failed to rein in his fastball Tuesday night, as he did time and again in a failed experiment in Oakland?

The answer likely lies somewhere in between — somewhere, the Padres believe, closer to the first Tyson Ross, the one with the burgeoning command and that wipeout slider. Five brilliant starts out of six, after all, is an ace’s ratio.

“He can be a dominant pitcher in the big leagues,” said Darren Balsley, the Padres’ pitching coach.

Can be. Should be, with his stuff. But will he be?

It’s still too early to tell, but the signs are there. Ross has been one of the few, emergent lights in a season that long ago dimmed.

Since rejoining the Padres’ rotation after the All-Star break — a development delayed by an April injury to his non-throwing shoulder — Ross has put together an eye-opening run of success. Before he allowed a season-high four earned runs in Tuesday’s loss to the Pirates, the results of the previous five starts had offered a tantalizing glimpse of the 26-year-old’s potential: 34 innings pitched, 36 strikeouts, 10 walks, five runs allowed, and an opponents’ batting average of .149.

Change of scenery

Tyson Ross endured a frustrating season last year in Oakland. In San Diego, he's been vastly improved, albeit in a limited sample size. The following is a comparison of his numbers as a starter:

Year | GS | IP | ERA | WHIP | K/9 | BB/9 | BAA

2012 | 13 | 68.1 | 6.45 | 1.76 | 5.4 | 4.2 | .322

2013 | 9 | 54.1 | 2.48 | 1.09 | 8.9 | 3.6 | .193

Even after Tuesday’s hiccup, over nine starts this season, Ross has a 2.48 ERA with 54 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings.

“I can’t say I’m surprised,” Ross said last week. “I think if you go out there expecting anything less than to do well, you’re really just setting yourself up for failure.”

A quietly confident presence in the clubhouse, Ross experienced a parade of letdowns last season with his hometown team, the Oakland Athletics. He went 2-11 and posted a 6.50 ERA. In 73 1/3 innings, he struck out just 46 batters. He walked nearly as many.

In between, though, he left an impression on the Padres, allowing just one hit over six innings in a win over San Diego last June.

“I’d just seen him the one game against us,” Balsley said, “and he almost threw a no-hitter. We knew coming in he had great stuff.”

The Padres took a flyer on Ross’ considerable, if unharnessed talent last November, acquiring Ross and infielder A.J. Kirby-Jones from Oakland for infielder Andy Parrino and left-hander Andrew Werner.

Under the tutelage of Balsley, Ross has looked like general manager Josh Byrne’s best offseason acquisition. Since the All-Star break, Ross has walked just 12 batters in 40 1/3 innings. He is spotting his mid-90s fastball down and away to right-handers. He is mixing in an emerging changeup.